The present invention relates to a multi-window sash including a plurality of sash units which are connected together and mounted to a body of a building or the like and also relates to a batten attachment structure for mounting battens to a frame members constituting a panel mounting frame of such as multi-window sash, door, shoji-door, fixed sash window or the like to thereby fix a panel such as glass panel.
A multi-window sash constituted by connecting a plurality of sash units is provided with mullion structure which is expandable in a manner such that one mullion of one sash unit and another one mullion of an adjacent another one sash unit are fitted and connected together to be movable in a panel width direction (direction parallel to the surface of the panel).
For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-open (KOKAI) Publication No. SHO 62-91876 discloses an expandable mullion structure in which one mullion section has a recessed portion directed to the panel width direction and another one mullion section has a protruded portion directed in the same direction, these recessed portion and protruded portion being fitted and abut-connected to each other through a water-tight member formed of such as rubber.
There is also known a simple structure for fixing the sash frame of the sash unit to the body of a building, in which fixing screws are screwed to the building body from bottom wall portions of recessed portions for mounting the panel to frame members constituting the sash frame.
Furthermore, there is also known a mounting structure of a door or shoji-door, in which a rectangular panel mounting frame is formed by assembling right and left side vertical frame elements, an upper frame element and a lower frame element each of which is formed with a recessed portion for supporting a panel, and the recessed portions of the respective frame elements are continuously connected so as to constitute a rectangular panel support recessed structure facing the panel when assembled as the panel mounting frame. A panel such as glass panel is fitted to the panel supporting recessed structure so as to be supported thereby.
Still furthermore, there is also known a mounting structure of a fixed sash window, in which a rectangular panel mounting frame is formed by assembling right and left side vertical frame members, an upper frame member and a lower frame member each of which is formed with a recessed portion for supporting a panel, and the recessed portions of the respective frame elements are continuously connected so as to constitute a rectangular panel support recessed structure facing the panel when assembled as the panel mounting frame, whereby a panel is fitted to the panel support recessed structure so as to be supported thereby.
In the door, the shoji-door and the fixed sash window mentioned above, the respective frame elements or frame members are assembled as a rectangular panel mounting frame and the panel is thereafter fitted to the panel support recessed structure of the panel mounting frame or element. Accordingly, in usual, the panel supporting portions are formed in a panel thickness direction (direction normal to the panel width direction) integrally with one side portions of the inner surfaces of the upper and lower frame elements and the upper and lower frame members, and battens are detachably mounted to the other side portions thereof, thus constituting upper and lower sections of the panel support recessed structures. Then, the panel supporting portions are integrally formed with both side portions in the panel thickness direction of the inner surfaces of the vertical frame element and the vertical frame member. Thereafter, the respective frame elements and the frame members are assembled as frames and the bilateral, i.e. right and left, vertical edge portions of the panel are fitted to the bilateral panel supporting recessed structures by moving bilaterally and obliquely the panel, and then, the battens are mounted to the upper and lower frame elements and the upper and lower frame members.
FIG. 10 shows one known example of such batten mentioned above, in which a first type batten F is composed of a box-shaped body la and one and another side engaging pieces 2a and 3a which are integrally mounted to the body la. The one and another side engaging pieces 2a and 3a are engageable with one and another side receiving pieces 5a and 6a integrally formed with an inner surface of a frame member 4a in a snap-engaging manner, thereby defining a panel support recessed structure 8a between such batten F and a panel supporting portion 7a formed to the frame member 4a.
Furthermore, FIG. 11 also shows another known example of such batten mentioned above, in which a second type batten G is composed of a hollow body 10b and one and another side hooks 11b and 12b integrally formed to the body 11b. The one and another side hooks 11b and 12b are fitted and engaged, in the panel thickness direction, with one and another side receiving pieces 14b and 15b integrally formed with an inner surface of a frame member 13b, thereby defining a panel support recessed structure 17b between such batten G and a panel supporting portion 16b of the frame member 13b.
However, according to the prior art structures or arrangements described above, the following problems will be provided.
When the mullion having the expandable structure mentioned above is adopted, although the connecting portions can be formed water-tightly by the location of the water-tight members, the relative movement amount of the one and another mullion sections in the panel width direction corresponds to a squeeze amount of the water-tight member, and moreover, since the squeeze amount thereof has its limit, it is difficult to increase the relative movement in the width direction of the panel to be fitted.
Furthermore, a large gap exists in the panel thickness direction between the recessed portion and the protruded portion in a state that the recessed portion of the one mullion section and the protruded portion of the another mullion section are fitted together, and accordingly, when a strong wind is applied, the these mullion sections are largely relatively moved in the thickness direction of the panel, providing a poor strength against the wind pressure and generating metallic noise due to collision of these mullion sections.
According to the fixing structure of the frame members mentioned above, the bottom portion of the panel mounting recessed structure and an abutting portion of the frame member against the building body are separated from each other in the panel width direction and the abutting portion is pressed against the building body through a seal member, so that a large gap exists between a head of the fixing screw (i.e. bottom portion of the panel mounting recessed portion) and the building body. Because of this reason, when a large force due to the wind pressure is applied to the sash frame in the panel thickness direction, since a large bending force or stress is applied to the fixing screw, the fixing screw may be bent or broken in an adverse case, thus being disadvantageous in strength.
Furthermore, when the arrangement of the first batten F as mentioned above is used, since the another engaging piece 3a is elastically engaged in the snap manner after the one engaging piece 2a has been engaged, the mounting of the batten F will be easily performed and the engagement between the batten and the frame can be firmly done when the panel is mounted, thus being improved in workability. However, in this arrangement, it is necessary for the another engaging piece 3a to be formed elastically deformable, so that when the wind pressure I is applied, there may cause a case where the another engaging piece 3a is elastically largely deformed and disengaged from the receiving piece of the frame member, thus the first batten F being not mounted to the panel mounting frame to which a large wind pressure will be applied.
Still furthermore, when the arrangement of the second batten G mentioned above is used, since the one and another hooks 11b and 12b are engaged with the one and another receiving pieces 14b and 15b through the fitting in the panel thickness direction, the engaging state can be maintained even if a strong wind pressure I is applied. However, the one and another hooks 11b and 12b are movable with respect to the one and another receiving pieces 14b and 15b, respectively, in the panel thickness direction by the external force, so that such engagement is likely disengaged from each other when the panel is mounted, thus providing bad workability. Moreover, when the batten G is mounted, since the one and another hooks 11b and 12b are fitted and engaged by sliding them in the panel thickness direction, the dimension of the frame member 13b in the thickness direction will be increased.